Taking place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Shadows of The Empire was the bridge that introduced a rather formidable villain: Prince Xizor.
A shipping magnate, and head of the Black Sun crime syndicate, Xizor had designs to replace Darth Vader as Emperor Palpatine’s right hand man.
This, among other adventurous events, leads to a climactic space battle where Imperials and Rebels alike fight to destroy Xizor’s scheme, setting the stage for the final chapter in the classic Star Wars trilogy.
Published in 1996, author Steve Perry’s entry into what’s now designated the Star Wars Legends canon of discarded expanded universe fiction told the story of Dash Rendar, a bounty hunter hired to help track down the frozen Han Solo, as his body was being transported by Boba Fett to Jabba The Hutt.